Background Plants - Ideas Please

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PrettyFishies

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Mar 7, 2003
Messages
1,689
Location
Durham, NC
Hi all,

I'm looking for some ideas for all-green background plants. I already have a nice crop of vals and need some ideas.

TIA!
 
Blyxa aubertii, any variation of sword plant, hygrophilia (again, probably any var), cambomba, any apontageon (my personal fav), myrio, giant hairgrass (if you can keep it alive), lymnophilia
 
Some specs on your tank might help with deciding which plant to obtain.

Nice green background plants:

Bacopa monnieri
Echinodorus amazonicus
Heteranthera zosterifolia
Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Limnophila sp 'green'
Limnophila sessiliflora
Micranthemum umbrosum
Myriophyllum simulans
 
20 gal, 65W cf unit, adding a pressurized Co2 system in 2 weeks (before I buy more plants)...I use Flourish and Seachem K twice a week... no nitrogen or phosphorous

temp 77
PH 7.6 - yeah, I know - I just got a monitor
KH 5
GH 15
Nitrate - 20ppm
Phosphate - don't know at the moment
 
PrettyFishies said:
20 gal, 65W cf unit, adding a pressurized Co2 system in 2 weeks (before I buy more plants)...I use Flourish and Seachem K twice a week... no nitrogen or phosphorous

temp 77
PH 7.6 - yeah, I know - I just got a monitor
KH 5
GH 15
Nitrate - 20ppm
Phosphate - don't know at the moment
if you are adding CO2 you will need to start dosing Nitrates and Phosphates (look into EI dosing)

i would also pick up a phosphate test
 
Any comments on the parameters? like the GH?

I have a hagen natural for Co2 right now - I think it's not doing anything substantial.

I should be shooting for a PH of 6.5, right? How do I safely lower it so I don't stress any fish out?

BTW - I have a phosphate test kit, just haven't tested it...
 
I like anything thats easy to grow lol such as Hygro, anubias ( I think thats the one I was thinking of ) asian ambulia, etc.
 
The CO2 being added to the tank will lower the PH. You do not want to add anything to change it. The CO2 in the water forms carbolic acid which lowers the PH. it is a good way, though not perfect to determine the amount of CO2 in the tank.
 
H. zosterfolia (sp?) / Stargrass is a great plant and another option, and while a fast grower, takes well to trimming and makes small tanks look big. You can keep it tidy with lots of trimming or all wild and crazy. Either way its easy to get dense and bushy for that aquascaper-like look with little exposed stem.
 
The pH swing caused by CO2 will NOT stress the fish. Once you have your pressurised setup just start adding it slowly until you get the desired pH.
 
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